Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Looks yummy, no? Okay, it looks pretty gross but hear me out - for those of you who haven't joined the green smoothie movement, you have got to give it a try. I promise you don't taste the spinach... I was first exposed to green smoothies when I was at a
friend's house for dinner a couple of years ago and his mom made a "green
drink". Apple juice,
strawberries, spinach, and ice.
I'm adventurous so I gave it a try and loved it. At the time I didn't realize it was the new craze. I didn't start making them until after
I got married and started shopping at the farmer's market which inspires
me to eat more wholesome foods and that 1 lb. container of spinach is just too
hard to resist anyway. With only 2 of us,
I have to do something with all of that spinach! I just had my first baby so I'm trying to run off the last 8
lbs. of baby weight and these smoothies help me start my day off with the
energy I need to do that! This is the smoothie I threw together today and I
think it is the best one yet! What
a healthy way to satisfy that chocolate craving! I used unsweetened cocoa powder - it's full of fiber and no sugar! These
are estimates of how much of everything I used since I just threw it in the
blender until it looked and tasted right... which I encourage you to do as well!

INGREDIENTS

Handful of spinach

1/2 - 3/4 c. vanilla yogurt

1/2 c. almond milk

1/2 to 1 Tbl unsweetened cocoa powder

1 banana

1 tsp flax seed - or more if you want

dash of honey

large handful of ice

DIRECTIONS

1. Put spinach in first - this ensures it doesn't get spit up from blending and stick to the sides. Put everything else on top except ice. Blend. Add ice and blend again on the ice crush setting. Enjoy!!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Corn Chowder. When I decided to make this, I remembered I like chowders but must have forgotten how much. This is out of this world satisfying and delicious. It's weight watchers approved but I think my husband and I missed the point because it was supposed to make 6 servings and by the time we left the dinner table there was only enough left for one more bowl! It also has no meat - I've been cooking more and more meatless meals because it's budget friendly and helps with our weight loss goals. But anyway, my husband gave this a ten, which is a rare honor. Whip this one up the next time you're in the mood for soup!

2. Add corn and potatoes, return to a simmer and cook until all the vegetables are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Place cornstarch in a small bowl, slowly add evaporated milk, stirring until smooth. Stir into the soup and return to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne.

About Me

On October 14, 2010 my husband and I celebrated our 2 month anniversary. We were sitting on the couch, after work and I turned to him and said, "We've been married 2 months and I've cooked something different every night!" He congratulated me and asked, "Do you think you could do it for a year?" Ever competitive, I smiled at the challenge and emphatically said, "Yes". This blog is to document the last 10 months of my challenge. The deal is, I have to make one new main dish each day, for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I have no formal training in the kitchen, but I can follow a recipe and I love variety and trying new things in life, including food. My husband may think I cook for him because I love him, and yes this is true. But let's be honest, I love food just as much as he does! I am obviously in need of good recipes that fit a newlywed's budget, so please share some of your recipes in a comment! I hope you enjoy the next 10 months as much as I do and I hope that it will inspire you to spend a bit more time preparing a well balanced meal to share as a family each night and to get out of that comfort zone and try something new!